


Breakthrough

by Kyrios (orphan_account)



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Happy Ending, Komahina Week, M/M, Medical Trauma, Post-Canon, Recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 06:27:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11777364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Kyrios
Summary: Life-changing medical procedures brought him a lot of firsts.And a couple of good seconds.(Written for Komahina Week day 1. Prompt: first, Hinata-centric)





	Breakthrough

**Author's Note:**

> I kind of winged this because I thought the week started tomorrow, not today. I suck.

_You'll the first person to ever achieve something like this,_ they said. _You'll become a paragon of hope for all mankind._

Of course he believed it—how could he not? This was Hope’s Peak, the epitome of talent cultivation in the world. Their eximious researchers would make sure Hinata became something more, someone he could actually be proud of being. Kirigiri Jin had such a wide smile on his face when he signed the contract; it was strange to see his stoic headmaster so excited. His parents were proud to have a son who actually deserved his spot as a Hope’s Peak student. And he…

Did he want this?

It was their first time attempting something like this. It could go horribly wrong. Hinata could end up incapable of speech or movement for the rest of his life—it was his brain they were toying with. But then again, the devil perched on Hinata’s shoulder reminded him Ultimates had their titles for a reason. Surgeons, neurologists, psychiatrists… All those people knew the ins and outs of his head much better than he ever could.

(He smiled involuntarily at the prospect of being able to understand the human brain—something he'd be capable of once he acquired talent.)

*

Matsuda was an odd guy, but he wasn’t threatening. They'd met a few times before, on Kirigiri’s request, but not in a situation like this.

Never had Hinata felt so scrutinised by someone. It made him uneasy, the way Matsuda analysed scans and numbers completely unbothered, like he wasn't looking at everything Hinata was—his memories, abilities, feelings, all in those images, and yet…

“Is this the first time you've been in a research lab or something?” Matsuda asked. “You're looking around like the computer is gonna kill you.”

“Reserve course students don't get access to these facilities,” Hinata said, bitterness on his tongue. It felt humiliating to say that to an Ultimate. “And I've never had a reason to be in one, so, yes.”

“Well, feel free to mess around or ask anything, but I can't guarantee I'll answer,” Matsuda said. “Trust me, my girlfriend is much more annoying than you could ever be.”

(Hinata wondered if the redhead in the photographs was as terrified as he was.)

*

Hinata had never been in a place so packed with talent—it sounded silly when he thought of it like that, but the Ultimates’ aura was almost tangible.

A man walked up to him. Hinata reflexively recoiled. “Hey, kid. This area is off limits. I've never seen you around, so you can go,” the man said. His deep voice made Hinata flinch. He paused and his eyes widened. “Wait, hang on—are you the kid?”

“The kid? Probably?” Hinata said. He felt like he was treading on eggshells. The wrong answer would likely get him expelled for intruding on some top secret work.

“You know, the kid for the Hope project. Brain stuff?”

It was the first time he'd heard it called that. Kirigiri usually said it was a “talent cultivation” job. Either way, he nodded and followed the man into the meeting room.

(Being the subject for the Hope project had a nice ring to it.)

*

He avoided looking at the mirror. Handfuls of hair piled up at his feet, the buzz of the clippers drowning out all the voices in the room. It was strange to imagine himself without spiky hair, so he didn't.

“Oh, this is my first time doing a job this important,” the hairdresser said. She looked more excited than anyone else. “I didn't think it'd be something so simple, but I'm so honoured!”

She seemed to expect some kind of answer from him, so Hinata smiled. He knew everyone could see through him like glass; his hands were shaky with anxiety and his throat felt like it was closing up every time he tried to speak. Still, talking would give away more than he wanted to.

(If he pretended he wasn't on the verge of panicking, then the fear bubbling up in his stomach would go away. Or so he thought.)

*

“Okay, I'm gonna put a mask on you and you're gonna fall asleep in a few seconds,” one of the doctors instructed, showing Hinata the sedatives. “We've had you tested for any possible complications, so don't worry about that.”

Hinata nodded. He shivered. Despite the cold and the fact he was wearing nothing but a flimsy hospital gown, he didn't think it was because of that.

“You'll be the first person to ever achieve something like this,” Kirigiri said, glancing at the picture of the founder framed on the wall. “You'll become a paragon of hope for all mankind.”

He wanted to answer, but the mask was already covering his nose and mouth.

Kirigiri must be so proud, he thought. My parents must be so happy that I'm actually worth something now.

(Hinata giggled under the effect of the tranquilliser. _I'm going to be glorious,_ he mused, and then he fell asleep, enveloped by the darkness like a son in his mother’s arms.)

*

The first time he woke up after the initial procedure, the boy—he couldn't remember his name, he couldn't, _he couldn't_ —kicked and screamed against the heavy pod.

Outside, a man in a coat spoke, though the boy couldn't hear him at all.

“Predictable. Put him to sleep again. Expunge all emotions now.”

*

He'd been in this situation before, waking up from seemingly endless slumber in dirty clothes and with messy, overgrown hair. It made his stomach turn, though those memories were almost too distant to understand.

*

The second time someone cut his hair short, it wasn't done by the Ultimate Hairdresser, with people in white surrounding him.

Instead, his class watched as Komaeda Nagito—who wasn't very good with scissors at all—chopped his hair back to its previous length.

He smiled at his reflection, at Komaeda, and he knew things were nothing like before.

**Author's Note:**

> I know in DR0 Matsuda says he never met Kamukura, but that doesn't mean he never met Hinata before the procedure.
> 
> Also, SHSL Neurologist not being involved with the biggest neurosurgery breakthrough Hope's Peak ever had is bullshit not even Kodaka could come up with.


End file.
